11/4/2024: This chapter has a song theme: "Nothing Left" by Asking Alexandria. It's a bit heavier than previous songs (by that I mean metal wise), but it's a good song. My son loves headbanging to it lol.

I realized that I previously capitalized the 'Oh' in Ki-oh, but that's technically incorrect. I've fixed it going forward.

Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicide.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.

–

Chapter 19: In The Belly of The Beast

–

Danny did not leave the bedroom until the morning. He came out, an infant on each side of his chest with an arm over them, and found his parents making breakfast. Vlad was brewing coffee and cleaning up the dishes as they made them.

Maddie noticed him first, giving him a tentative smile. "Good morning, sweetie. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes."

He nodded while going over to the couch. As he went to sit down, Vlad appeared, arms out for Jackson. "I can take him to free an arm," he offered.

The father started to protest, but decided he should accept the help, and so handed his son over with a small smile of thanks. Danny then settled on the couch with Aurora.

His daughter was awake, but content, so he placed her in his lap and grabbed her little hands, playing with her by having her 'dance' a bit. She made little cooing noises as she gazed at her father before suddenly, she smiled.

The ghost stared in shock, stopping his movements. The twins had smiled a few times before, but it was always gas related. They hadn't smiled yet on purpose, but it was something that should happen within the next few weeks.

Danny tried again, making her little arms dance around, and again she smiled at him, letting out a coo at the same time. "She's smiling," he said out loud, not really even aware he'd said it out loud.

That got everyone else's attention and his parents came over as Vlad sat down with Jackson. Danny moved her hands around again, this time humming a song, and she smiled again.

"Atta girl!" Jack cheered.

"Oh, my. She's so precious," Maddie said before turning her attention to Jackson. "Now it's your turn, little man!"

Danny smiled back at his daughter before a wave of sorrow slammed into him like a freight train.

Sam missed their daughter's first intentional smile.

Vlad saw the young man close his eyes and shudder, feeling Danny's core power fluctuate. He knew where Danny's thoughts were but did not know how to console him.

Maddie didn't miss it either, and placed a hand on her son's shoulder. "We'll find her, Danny."

The young ghost opened his eyes before saying softly, "She has no intention of coming home."

His confused mother looked at his equally confused father, before looking back at Danny. "What do you mean, honey?"

Danny focused on his daughter because if he looked at his mother, he knew he wouldn't be able to say it. "She's the one who did this to me. Sam wants me dead."

The redhead grabbed her husband's arm in shock. "That-that doesn't sound right."

Jack held onto Maddie, turning his attention to his son. "Are you sure? That doesn't sound like Sam at all."

This time, Vlad answered. He could feel Danny's core and the strain and stress this conversation was causing him. "You're right, it's not Samantha. Something has control of her."

The young ghost looked at the billionaire. "I'm pretty sure you're right. I know she was angry, but she'd never react like this. And she freaked when I called her Sam; said she's Shade now."

"She's picked her ghost name, then," Vlad commented, shifting Jackson so the infant was in his lap much like Aurora was in Danny's. "What I do not understand is the wounds you sustained. They do not make sense. How was she able to inflict such wounds?"

Danny ran his hand through his daughter's hair, smoothing down the soft strands. "She can shift into a dragon. These wounds are her teeth."

Vlad stared at him with wide eyes, hearing the gasps of Jack and Maddie. "Those are very large wounds for teeth."

"Yeah, well, you haven't seen the size of her in dragon form."

"I think the next time you face her, you shouldn't be alone," Jack commented. "You should have Vladdie with you."

"I must agree," the billionaire said.

Danny looked between his children, wanting to protest, but thinking the better of it. "Alright."

–

Shade teleported into her room, a scowl on her face at the way the fight ended.

But mere moments later, she grabbed her head and groaned, pain shooting through her temple and behind her eye. After a moment, she suddenly looked up and around before the memories of the day came flooding back to her, sending icy chills down her spine.

Sam collapsed on the floor, seeing in her mind how she'd tried to kill Danny. The goth choked on a sob, bringing her hand up and covering her mouth. Oh, God…she'd really tried to…

It felt as if the air went out of the room and she began to hyperventilate, her breaths coming in great heaves, the rasping sound grating to her ears. Her chest was tight, heart pounding in her head. She knew what this was–she'd seen it in Danny–but she couldn't prevent it.

She'd been here nearly two weeks. During the day, she was Shade, the powerful half ghost who underwent all kinds of training, from her ghost powers, to hand-to-hand, to even swordsmanship. But at night, when she came back to her 'room', a barrier switched off whatever was essentially controlling her and turning her into Shade.

The memories of the day would come back, and she'd spend the night barely able to sleep as she missed her family.

Sam knew from Shade's memories that Mira wanted to use her to kill Danny as the ultimate revenge. Mira wanted Danny to suffer at the hands of his lover, his 'human pet', as she called Sam. But she also wanted Sam to suffer, which is why this room switched off Shade.

Today Mira had released Shade upon Danny. However, Mira had called her back before she could finish the job. She told Shade it was to make Danny's mental and emotional anguish last that much longer before finally killing him. Shade had grinned, relishing the idea.

It made Sam sick.

I tried to let go and leave the past behind,

But I can't escape the memories and broken lives.

Every night she tried so hard to forget everything, to try and pry herself away from her emotions, from the memories, but every night she failed.

I can't let go,

I can't, I'm in too deep.

She tried to get a hold of herself, to calm the panic attack, but it just seemed to get worse. She brought her hands up to either side of her head and gripped her hair, pulling at the sensitive strands in the hopes that the pain would help.

But it didn't, the panic overwhelming. She screamed.

Bury me!

Finally, her stomach rebelled and she crawled to the trash can in the corner, losing the contents, coughing as it burned her throat. Once it was blessedly empty, she pulled back and sat on the floor, back against the wall.

The memories came again, and the goth couldn't stop the tears that fell, heart feeling as though it was being crushed. She covered her mouth again as she remembered the feeling of her fang scraping against his core. Another sob caused her body to shake and she squeezed her eyes shut.

Every day, I get a little more lost,

And every day, it gets a little bit darker.

She wanted to die. Mira had said she wouldn't let her go until Danny was dead, so the only other option was to die herself. That was a little easier said than done, though, as her powers were negated in this room and they kept a camera on her to make sure she didn't try anything. Mira had anticipated this.

Every day, I feel a little more alone,

And every day, I feel a little more broken.

If she had grabbed him just a little differently, he'd be dead now. Their twins would've never known their father. And if she didn't find a way to stop herself, it would happen. She glanced at the sheets on her bed, wondering if they'd get to her before she suffocated if she hung herself from the ceiling fan.

Oh Lord, I pray for some release…

Her tears wouldn't stop. She'd told him she wanted him dead and the look on his face…oh God. He looked so devastated.

I close my eyes and try to numb' the pain,

I'm suffocating every minute, every g*d* day.

She felt like she couldn't breathe, like her lungs were constricting and the air was poisonous. Sam put a hand to her chest, trying to calm her breathing, but she retched again instead, pulling the trash can to her to throw up again.

I'm so close to the edge, but I give it up,

Everything I say and do's never good enough.

It stopped and she panted above the trash can, thinking about what it might be like to die. Were there cameras in her bathroom? Maybe she could drown herself in the tub.

Oh Lord, I pray for some release…

After what seemed like forever, she felt like the panic attack might finally be abating. Her breathing started to come easier, heart palpitations calming down. She coughed, her throat raw and irritated.

Sam thought back to some of the things Danny had said not long after she found him, especially when he'd said he had tried to kill himself but the Headmaster wouldn't let him die. She finally understood what he'd felt in that moment; what he'd desperately wanted.

She closed her eyes, replaying the exchange with Danny. It still spiked her anxiety and sorrow, but she was thinking about it more clearly now and not triggering another attack.

Part of her wanted Danny to find her, but the rest of her knew that was not a good idea. The second she walked out that door, both Shade and her powers would return and she'd attack him again.

She stood with shaky legs and made her way to the bathroom, stumbling through the doorway and flipping the light on. She went to the sink, gripping the vanity for stability, and looked at herself in the mirror.

Turning her head, she could clearly see the large laceration in her cheek. If she felt around with her tongue, she could feel it from inside her mouth as well. She gently touched it, wincing when it stung. "Good job, Danny," she said, grateful he'd done what he had to in order to stay alive.

She hated the anguish that had crossed his face when he did it. She wished there was a way to tell him it was okay and that she wanted him to stay alive, no matter what he had to do to her.

There was a knock at her door and she scowled. It was likely Mira. The goth was surprised, however, when she exited the bathroom, a little more steady, and heard Ki-oh's voice on the other side.

"May I come in?"

"Fine," she said as she walked over to the bed.

The door opened and the asian man, ever kind, gave her a small smile as he shut it and stood there a moment.

"What do you want?" she snapped as she sat down.

"Well, you kind of took the doctor, so now I get to treat your wound," he replied, finally stepping forward.

Sam rolled her eyes. "I can do it myself," she grumbled.

"I am sure you can, but nevertheless, I am here so I might as well." He carefully placed a few medical items on the bed.

"Let me guess: Mira sent you to check on me?"

Ki-oh raised a brow as he opened some ointment. "I sent myself to check on you," he responded.

Sam scoffed before taking a deep breath and letting it out through her mouth in a woosh, head tilting and eyes going to the floor. "Right. And you just decided to do that, why?"

The Korean man applied ointment to his finger before carefully reaching over and gently applying it to her cheek. "Because not all of us are as evil as you think," he said softly.

She furrowed her brows before looking up at him, clearing her throat when she suddenly realized how close he was. His proximity made her a little uncomfortable, but she dealt with it as he treated her cheek.

After a moment, "You say you aren't evil, yet you follow Mira."

Ki-oh sighed, putting the ointment down and grabbing a bandage. "You trusted Dr. Tanning," he replied.

"Because he helped Danny for four years. That's a lot longer than I've known you."

"Hmm," he hummed. "You have me there." He applied the bandage, making sure it covered the entire wound. "Your core will heal this much too quickly for stitches. The bandage can come off in two days; the wound should be gone by then."

Sam nodded, looking away. Ki-oh took that as his cue to leave, but before he reached the door, she called out to him. He turned back to her. "Yes?"

"Is there a way to stop this?" she asked tentatively. "Can Danny save me from myself?"

He gave her a forlorn look and gently shook his head. "I'm afraid not. What Mira did to you cannot be undone. Even if you succeed in killing him, unless you're in this room, you'll never go back to the Sam you were."

Ki-oh watched the ground fall out beneath her and gave her a sympathetic look. Despite his position, he did truly feel for her. He didn't have any loved ones left, but if he did, he wouldn't want to be in her situation.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly before leaving.

The goth sighed, resigning herself to another night away from her kids and Danny. It was not at all what she wanted, but she didn't have a choice.

Sam got up and went to the window, staring up at the night sky. The storm had passed and the night was clear, the dark abyss showcasing the stars.

Just as she had done while Danny was missing, she counted the bright orbs and watched for any shooting stars. She looked from constellation to constellation, remembering which ones Danny pointed out and their names. It helped calm her mind in his tumultuous time.

With another sigh, she watched the sky, hoping that her Superman would come save her once again.

–

The next day, Sam was woken up by a knock at the door. She opened her eyes, groggy and hazy. "Yea?" she called, voice hoarse.

"It's Ki-oh," the disembodied voice said through the door. "I'll give you time to get ready and change, but I need to come in after that."

The goth groaned. "Alright, fine. I'll let you know when I'm ready."

Sam got up and went to the dresser to grab her clothes, then went to the bathroom to change and get ready for the day. Once she was done, she called for him.

Ki-oh entered, once again with a light smile. "Today's training will be held here."

She raised a brow. "Why? It's always been in the hangar."

He bowed, something she'd come to understand was simply part of his culture. "My apologies, but the hangar is currently taken up by a number of planes and helicopters. Plus, today's lesson is simple, so we can do it anywhere."

Sam watched the man warily. "What are we doing today?"

"I know it is unconventional," he started, pulling his phone from his pocket, "but we will be dancing today."

She scoffed. "Dancing? What kind of training is dancing?"

He navigated to a song before placing the phone on the table. "It has shown to significantly improve balance and focus. It is also good exercise." He held his hand out to her as the song started; a classical number that was perfect for ballroom type dancing.

"And if I don't want to dance?"

This time, it was his turn to sigh. "Then Mira will release you upon Danny while he is still injured." He did his best to hide his wince at her stricken look. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about that. You'll need to do this if you want him to have a chance."

She cautiously stood, putting a hand on her hip. "I've only ever danced with two men before: my boyfriend and my best friend."

"Then allow me the honor of being the third," he said, holding his hand out to her.

Sam eyed him before taking his offered hand and going to him. "You get handsy and I'll snap you in half, powers or no powers."

He chuckled. "I would expect no different from you, but as I said before, I am not that kind of man," he replied, placing one of her hands on his shoulder and holding her other hand. "Besides, I am married," he explained nonchalantly, placing his free hand on her waist.

Her head snapped up, eyes meeting his. "You're married and you're part of this?" she snapped.

"I also have a baby on the way," he replied as he started to lead her through the dance.

"How can yo–"

He cut her off with a look. "If you keep your voice down, the camera won't pick it up over the music."

Sam watched him with shock, Ki-oh maneuvering them so the camera couldn't see her face. "You might want to fix your face so you don't let on our conversation."

His words struck a chord with her, as it was something Danny had told her often, but she did as asked and schooled her features into mild annoyance, something that anyone watching would think is normal for her.

"Also, you do need to concentrate on the movements at least a little. You keep stepping on me," he said, amusement in his voice.

"Sorry," she said, looking down at her feet so she could memorize the movements.

He chuckled. "We'll start with ballroom dancing as it will help give you rhythm and balance, then we'll move on to other types. It really is good exercise, but I've found that certain types of dancing seem to sync with our core energy pulses. It allows us to better feel the rhythm of our energy so we can use it more efficiently."

"What kinds of dances do that?" Sam asked, eyes still downward. "Sorry," she said sheepishly as she stepped on him again.

"It is different for everyone. For example, my core syncs perfectly with Geommu."

The goth looked up then, brows furrowed at the unfamiliar word. "Geommu?" she asked, though she slightly butchered the word.

Ki-oh chuckled again. "It is a Korean dance done with swords."

She thought for a moment before she nodded. "That makes sense, you being Korean and all."

He nodded. "That it does. It's a beautiful dance and the use of the sword adds weight, which helps you learn to balance in a new way."

Despite the circumstances, Sam felt intrigued by the dance. "Could you show me?"

Ki-oh spun them around the room before settling back into what they'd been doing before. He was unable to hide his surprise at her request. "I can, perhaps at our next lesson. I am surprised you are so interested."

She shrugged, before she misstepped, and tilted. Ki-oh held onto her, though, and kept her upright. She gave him an apologetic look but he waved it off. "I've always been interested in Asian cultures, though mostly Japanese," she explained. "I watch a lot of anime. But I also love the architecture and the care the Japanese put into their gardens. I don't know as much about South Korean culture, but I know that a lot of customs are very similar and I'd like to learn the differences between the two."

He smiled at her. "I can certainly answer any questions you have. I grew up in Seoul, so English is actually my second language."

"Really? You don't have an accent that I can tell."

"Thank you," he smiled.

She looked down, watching their feet for a bit, before her head snapped back up again. "Hey, wait a minute, you completely changed the conversation!"

He grinned. "I did. You seemed uncomfortable so I thought I would change the focus of the conversation to put you a little more at ease before we went back to it."

Sam frowned but couldn't deny that it worked; she was a little less on edge.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss my personal matters further than I already have, at least, not right now," he explained. "But understand that I am not like them."

She raised a brow, correcting herself before she stepped on him again. "I'm just supposed to just trust that?"

Ki-oh shrugged, leading her across the floor. "My words are not likely to convince you, so let my actions speak. However, there will be times when I am unable to step in."

Sam remained silent as she digested the information. She mulled it over in her head and before she knew it, the lesson was over. They stopped and pulled away from each other. "I'm sorry about your feet," she said softly.

Ki-oh chuckled. "It is of no consequence. Besides, you are already improving. We'll do more of these lessons so you get even better."

The goth nodded, absently rubbing her arm. He bowed, his customary goodbye, before leaving. Sam watched him go, hoping that maybe she did still have an ally.

–

11/7/2024: Three days. The story is evolving even as I write it, and scenes and notes are constantly being added to and changed.

I hope you liked seeing Sam's POV in this one!